Ricco names doctor

After his surprise doping confession to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), professional cyclist Riccardo Ricco named controversial doctor Carlo Santuccione as his supplier for the performance enhancing drug Cera, the latest flavor of EPO.

Ricco won two stages in the Tour de France before being caught by the French doping controllers.

"Santuccione has given me the drug Cera," Ricco told the Italian daily La Repubblica. "He has requested payment of 700 euros, which I had and will not pay him," added the 24-year-old. Ricco said he will not pay the doctor because of misleading him with false promises. Ricco claimed, "Santuccione had guaranteed me that I would not get caught."

The length of his suspension is still to be determined by CONI. After his confession on Wednesday about doping just before the Tour de France, Ricco is hoping for a more lenient sentence.

In the mean time, he has been stripped of his two stage victories in the Tour de France, and pushed another sponsor, Sanuier Duval, out of the sport.